Today, on May Day 2025, we come together to honour the collective strength of workers and the legacy of trade union solidarity. This year, our message is guided by an urgent question: Can trade unions unite a society divided by populism?
Trade unions have, over many years, have built movements based on pluralism, recognising diversity and rooted in shared values such as democracy, equality, inclusion, social justice, and solidarity. But in an era where right-wing, authoritarian populism (hereinafter referred to as ‘populism’) divides society by rejecting pluralism and vilifying “others”, how can trade unions respond? Are trade unions that champion diversity and democracy powerless in the face of populist forces that thrive on division?
I would like to explore here the role that trade unions should play in a society fractured by populism.
Across Asia and the Pacific as well as other parts of the globe, we are witnessing how populist politics divides our societies. It claims to speak for "the people"—but instead, it turns communities against each other, fuels fear and misinformation, and weakens trust in democracy. Workers themselves are not immune. Many are left feeling unheard and isolated, drawn to voices that promise simple solutions to complex problems.
Populist narratives divide workers by creating artificial lines of conflict—such as between organised workers and precarious workers, or between local workers vs. migrant workers. Under this guise, they push through protectionist and neoliberal policies that exploit fear while undermining unity.
The result? The only true beneficiaries from this division are the wealthy elites and powerful corporations. While society is kept distracted and divided, inequality deepens, wages stagnate, labour protections erode, and corporate profits soar. Populism, at its core, distracts us from the real struggle—one between concentrated wealth and the collective power of working people.
This is the moment for trade unions to rise to the challenge. In a time when trust in institutions is fading, trade unions must not only defend workers’ rights but also rebuild the bonds of trust and solidarity across communities. We can do this in three transformative ways:
First, we must continue to build power through organising—especially among those workers who feel excluded or marginalised, such as platform workers, informal workers, migrants, women, and youth. Organising gives people a voice, a place to belong, and a pathway to collective action for change. It transforms frustration into strength.
For example, in the Philippines, transport unions have successfully mobilised thousands of informal drivers to negotiate for a just transition in the transport sector, so that no one is left behind. In India, domestic workers’ associations have achieved recognition under state labour laws, opening opportunities for benefits and protections. And in Indonesia, platform delivery workers have formed cooperatives that challenge exploitative algorithms and push for fair pay.
These actions show that when we organise, we win - not only better working conditions, but stronger solidarity and renewed hope.
Second, trade unions must act as trusted watchdogs. To effectively hold governments and corporations accountable, we must enhance our capacity to monitor and report violations of workers’ rights, advocate for transparent governance, and build broad-based alliances with civil society organisations, journalists, and whistleblowers.
We must further develop constructive industrial relations with employers that practice strong sense of human rights due diligence. For example, through global framework agreements between multinational corporations and relevant trade unions, we can help ensure that workers’ rights are respected and that victims have access to remedy across global supply chains. Using tools like online reporting platforms, social media campaigns, and community-based monitoring, we can expose labour rights abuses and mobilise public pressure that compels change. Transparency and truth must be at the centre of our strategy.
Third, we must lead the call for a new social contract—one based on decent jobs, rights, adequate living wages, social protection, equality, and inclusion. This means coordinated global and regional advocacy for stronger International Labour Organization (ILO) standards, robust engagement in national policy-making, and sustained campaigns that unite trade unions, civil society organisations, community and grassroots groups, and youth movements.
Trade unions should develop clear policy proposals towards achieving living wages, universal social protection, and inclusive just transition plans, and mobilise public support to turn these ideas into concrete policies that are then effectively implemented. Negotiating a fair deal for workers begins with a clear, inclusive, and widely supported vision.
Trade unions were never meant to serve only their own members. Our role is to organise, to represent, and to unify the people. This means listening to broader social concerns and using collective action to ensure that such concerns are addressed.
One of the most effective ways we can do this today is by harnessing the power of social media and digital platforms. By using social media strategically—whether to raise awareness, campaign for change, or share workers’ stories—we can amplify our voice, connect with the public, and appeal directly to younger generations. We must speak the language of hope and solidarity not only on the streets and in meeting halls, but also on the screens and feeds where people gather, question, and dream of a better world.
From the civil rights movements to the fight for social justice, unions have historically stood at the frontlines of collective struggles for transformative change. Today, we must carry that legacy forward.
Populism thrives on fear and division. Trade unions thrive on solidarity and hope. In these difficult times, we must be the force that brings people together—not only across workplaces, but across communities and borders.
Let us remember that May Day is more than a celebration—it is a commitment. A commitment to unity in the face of division. A commitment to justice in the face of inequality. And a commitment to hope in the face of despair.
Let us rise together, bound by the values that have always made our movement strong—solidarity, democracy, and justice.
1 May 2025
Shoya Yoshida
General Secretary
ITUC-Asia Pacific
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